Sheet-metal-drawing machine.



C. L. TERRY.

SHEET METAL DRAWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 2, 1913.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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I C/mr/es L T'e/r Wig/m7 I G. L. TERRY.

SHEET METAL DRAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1913. 1,1 2,75. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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zar/65L. Tr/ n 0. L. TERRY.

SHEET METAL DRAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1913.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- I I l T/VESSES A TTORNE Y.

UHARLES L. TERRY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SHEET-METAL-DRAWING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb.23,1915.

Application filed August 2, 1913. Sc ria'LHo. 782,563.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. TERRY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and usefulSheet-Metal-Drawing Machine; and-I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved and practical machine for forming articles out of sheet metal.

The invention has been made with reference to the formation of automobile bodies or parts thereof from sheet metal. So far in practice manufacturers of automobile bodies are at great expense in forming sheet metal parts irregular in shape either by the press with its expensive dies or by hand hammering. This invention greatly simplifies and cheapens the operation.

The general nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims: 4

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, showing it drawing or forming out of sheet metal the rear portion of an automobile body. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a pair of clamps for holding the ends of the sheet metal, a part of said clamps being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the parts in position before'the metal is drawn. Fig. 4 is the same with parts actuated, the heating apparatus being omitted. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 3 with the sheet of metal omitted and parts broken away. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a portion of the tightening apparatus showing the same in one position. Fig. 7 is the same in another position.

The machine has a main frame formed of bottom beams 10 and upper beamsll there: on. The beams are secured together and the .latter beams are at an inclination to each other so as to conform with the slope or taper of the rear portion 12 of the automobile body which is being formed. Upon the beams 11 there is mounted a sheet metal support formed of uprights 13 and horizontal members 14. There is one of these on each side of the central shaft 15 of the machine, but on a higher level. Upon the frame yshaft bars 14a die or former 16 is secured. It, as shown in Fig. 3, rests upon the frame bars 14 and the ends thereof are turned downward with a regular bend or such bend as is desired for the corners of the automobile body portion 12. As shown in Fig. 1,-said die or former 16 is long enough to extend beyondthe frame supports 13 and to exceed the wldth of the metal sheet to be treated.

A straight metal sheet is placed over the die or former 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the two ends thereof are turned downward and are held between the clamps shown 1n Fig. 2. Said clamps consist of two bars 18 and 19 clamped together by bolts 20. The inner or adjacent surfaces of these bars are not straight preferably, but made in the form or desired shape of the article being drawn, and are slightly convex so as to pinch the tightly. On each side of each side ,bar 11 of the machine there is an upwardly extending rack bar 25 so that there are two pairs of said rack bars, as shown in Fig. 5, and the racks aresimilar on each pair of bars, but the racks on one pair of bars are opposite to the racks on the other pair of bars. There is a dog or pawl 26 loosely surroundmg each rack bar, as shown in Fig. 6, and having on one side a cleat 27 engaging the eeth of the rack bar and on the opposite side the inner wall of said dog is cut away as at 28 so that as said dogs are rocked they will travel down the racks. Each pair of dogs is operated by a transversely extending lever 30, the two levers being actuated by links 131 extending from the ends of a walking beam or oscillating lever 31 which is centrally secured on the shaft 15 aird said 15 is oscillated by an arm 32 and a connecting rod 33 extending from some source of power. Therefore, the oscillation of the shaft 15 will oppositely operate or move said levers. The clamps 18 have a bar 35 connected with their ends and extending under each lever 30 between each pair of rack bars and be held in place by a bracket 36. Therefore, as the shaft 15 is oscillated and the levers 30 simultaneously and oppositely operated or rocked, they will cause the dogs 26 to travel down on the rack bars and draw down, tighten and stretch the sheet of metal on the die or former until it is drawn very tightly, and during such drawing, heat is supplied to the sheet of metal preferably at the bend thereof so as metal sheet and hold it to enable the shape of the sheet of metal to be partially modified as desired and to maintain its modified form after being cooled.

The heat may be applied by any desired means, as that constitutes no part of this invention, but there is shown herein a gas tube l0 connected with an air tube ll and there is a burner 42 connected with the gas tube. These may be swung or otherwise mounted so as to be moved readily over the surface of the metal at the points thereof desired to be transformed.

The invention is:

1. A machine for drawing sheet metal including a main frame, a pair of former holding frames extending from the main frame, a former secured on said former holding frames on which the sheet of metal may be placed, a pair of rack bars extending from the main frame toward each end of the former, rocking dogs on each rack bar, a lever for operating each pair of dogs so that the two sets of dogs will simultaneously operate and will simultaneously travel on said rack bars away from the former, and means connected with each lever for clamping an end of the sheet of metal so that the metal will be drawn as the dogs travel on the rack bars.

2. A machine for drawing sheet metal including a main frame, a pair of former holding frames extending from the main frame, a former secured on said former holding frames on which the sheet of metal may be placed, a pair of rack bars extending from the main frame toward each end of the former, rocking dogs on each rack bar, a

pair of dogs so that will simultaneously lever for operating each the two sets of dogs operate and will simultaneously travel on said rack bars away from the former, an oscillatory shaft, a rocking lever thereon, links connecting the ends of said rocking lever with the corresponding ends of said dog actuating levers, whereby the dogs will be caused to travel simultaneously on said rack bars away from the former, and means connected with each dog actuating lever for clamping the end of the sheet of metal on the former. I

3. A machine for drawing sheet metal including a main frame, a .pair of former holding frames extending from the main frame, a former secured on said former holding frames on which the sheet of metal may be placed, a pair of rack bars extending from the main frame toward each end of the former, rocking dogs on each rackbar, a lever for operating each pair of dogs so that the two sets of dogs will simultaneously operate and will 4 simultaneously said rack bars away from the former, a pair of clampin bars for clamping each end of the sheet 0 metal on the former, and a connection between the two ends of each set of clamps and the corresponding dog actuating lever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

CHARLES L. TERRY.

Witnesses:

R. G. Looxwoon, A. H. EDGERTON.

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